Lilly claims first Cuestars tournament win of 2023/24

DHARMINDER Singh Lilly put together a quick-fire 63 break to secure his first Cuestars tournament win of the season.

The 49-year-old from Fareham defeated Wayne Townsend in a one-frame shootout to claim the rankings points in the fifth leg of the Seniors Tour (40+) at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club

Lilly and Townsend agreed to split the £220 prize fund and play a single frame for the points as the large turnout of 38 meant the final started after 10pm – and the weather was getting worse by the minute.

With Storm Isha showing no sign of being on the wane, Townsend had breezed through to the final without dropping a single frame out of 14.

The defending rankings champion from Northolt also recorded the day’s highest break of 77 in his group-stage victory over Paul Lawrence (Southampton).

Rankings leader Paul Davis (Wareham), bidding for a hat-trick of tournament wins, was defeated 2-0 by Lilly in the last-eight.

Martin Wallace (Wokingham) and Seniors debutant Andrew Vernon (Woodley, Berks) both enjoyed excellent runs to the semi-finals. Vernon was knocked out in the match of the day by Lilly. He dominated the first frame and led by nearly 50 points in the next only for Lilly to dig deep and find a way to win as he so often does.

David Moritz (Pinner), Paul Morrison (Ashford) plus home-club players Neil Carroll (Southampton) and Steve Wheatland (Chandler’s Ford) all topped their groups without losing a match but all made last-16 exits.

Organisers thanked the team at Chandlers Ford SC for looking after them as they always do.

Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, hosts the sixth leg of nine on Sunday, February 25.

BREAKS

Wayne Townsend: 77, 57.
Matt Callow: 71.
Martin Wallace: 70.
Paul Davis: 69, 51, 48.
Andrew Vernon: 64, 51.
Dharminder Singh Lilly: 63, 46.
John Hunter: 61, 57, 56, 56, 54, 48, 44.
Paul Morrison: 57, 53, 43.
Justin Eggins: 54, 48.

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS

GROUP A: 1st, Paul Davis (Greenbaize); 2nd, Phil Butler (Greenbaize); 3rd, Damian Henners (Greenbaize); 4th, Peter Ebbins (Greenbaize).

GROUP B: 1st, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Mark Thomas (Shots, Watford); 3rd, Jason Pusser (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 4th, Andy Darken (Feltham Constitutional Club).

GROUP C: 1st, Paul Morrison (West Byfleet Social Club); 2nd, Matt Callow (Chichester City Club); 3rd, Alex Greenham (Greenbaize); 4th, Ian Finch (Park Gate RBL); 5th, Tim Poston (Midhurst Club).

GROUP D: 1st, Steve Wheatland (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 4th, Graham Leech (Crucible, Newbury); 5th, Stanley Bunker (Windlesham Club, Surrey).

GROUP E: 1st, David Moritz (Shots, Watford); 2nd, Steve Nevett (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 3rd, Nick Merritt (Midhurst Club); 4th, Brian Dobson (Stoke SC, Gosport); 5th, Shane Hatfield (Greenbaize).

GROUP F: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Andrew Vernon (Sunninghill Comrades); 3rd, Justin Eggins (Chichester City Club); 4th, Neil Herd (Salisbury SC); 5th, Simon Peacock (Salisbury SC).

GROUP G: 1st, Wayne Townsend (Hayes WMC); 2nd, Darren Johnson (Petersfield Bowls & Snooker Club); 3rd, Ray Grall (Hayes WMC); 4th, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL); 5th, Steve Read (Chandlers Ford SC).

GROUP H: 1st, Dharminder Singh Lilly (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Gareth Howard (Winchester Club); 3rd, Paul Bailey (Greenbaize); 4th, Dennis Tristram (Shots, Watford); 5th, Mark Wareham (Winton Workmens).

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

LAST-16 (10 points): Davis 2-0 Thomas, Lilly 2-0 Johnson, Vernon 2-1 Moritz, Callow 2-1 Wheatland, Wallace 2-0 Morrison, Hunter 2-1 Nevett, Townsend 2-0 Howard, Butler 2-0 Carroll.

QUARTER-FINALS (12 pts, £20): Davis 0-2 Lilly, Vernon 2-0 Callow, Wallace 2-1 Hunter, Townsend 2-0 Butler.

SEMI-FINALS (15 pts, £40): Lilly 2-1 Vernon, Wallace 0-2 Townsend.

FINAL (25/18 pts, £110/£110): Lilly 1-0 Townsend.

Picture: Dharminder Singh Lilly (left) and Wayne Townsend

By Tim Dunkley and Chris Wyatt